Location: Still looking for Eno

Making friends has been a key to keeping the virtual doldrums away.  Social networking sites just for avatars exist to make this easier. In-world groups offer an array of options for avatars. These communities of affinity—from real-life interests to, say, landscaping virtual terrain, offer endless amusements.  My favorite is Pappy Enoch’s “Enoch Holler Hellbillies,” where I get notices about drinking, visiting Tombstone, and lately, a mysterious swamp-monster sited on UR Island.  Of course not all groups are so wild; Ida Keen’s knitting group offers the sort of fellowship that can be hard to find for many of us in real life who live far from others who share our interests.

These in-world interests often lead to worthwhile projects.  In a symposium in May, I was asked “what is the educational value of Second Life?“ I had to answer, “I don’t know yet. But what is wrong with play?  If we relax and let the purpose emerge, it will.“  I didn’t want to force SL into a pedagogical box too soon.

Beeble Baxter and I continue our explorations of what we might do with students in-world.  Sure enough, ideas are blossoming. We are plotting a photo exhibition by students on UR island for the spring of 2008.  Students will focus on how people use technology in real life, and we’ll have student posters in-world with hot-links to Web pages for each writer.

Thus Beeble and I continue to explore that most powerful aspect of SL: player-created content.  Once I mentioned “sweating out” a pair of sunglasses in fifteen minutes.  I’m not a master builder now, but I can make simple objects in seconds, and change their appearance quickly. Making complex objects and even simple scripts are now tasks I can contemplate, while modifying purchased objects provides endless fun for the clever resident.

Making films is another pastime that I highly recommend. Before getting bored in SL, I’d advise residents to make a movie and put it on YouTube.  Cecil Hirvi points the way for those of us who want to make our own media: I’ve not watched TV since 1979 and haven’t missed it for a second.  Now, we are the producers!

Just don’t get bored, readers: there’s a whole world out there waiting for us to create. Creation is key: consumption is a dead-end, as in real life.

Learn the tools and create, and share what you learn. Go find an interesting region (start fishing for ideas with Ida’s blog), grab a friend, and walk or fly around.  Just don’t propose to every person you meet (though Pappy’s courting adventures bring a tear to my cynical eye).

You might even find time to start a blog about your second life…nah.  That would get tedious, quickly.

Be sure to check the “In a Strange Land” Archive for old posts

And we’ll go dancing, Di. I want you to see Iggy’s new suit (subject of a future column). It’s SHARP. 

After all, Pappy can’t have all the fun—and you’re as safe with me as with him

OK OK Iggy…I hear you - HA!
Personally I find if I have “nothing to do” on SL then I will just log off and go find something to do in RL. I guess summertime and the opportunity to be outdoors and all the daylight make it a little more attractive than sitting in front of the screen. And I’ve been reading more lately also. Dianna is still running around wreaking havoc and causing chaos - see ya in SL!!

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